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Trying to Understand Marriott Trades

jperkins

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Hi All,

I am considering a resale purchase at a Marriott. It would be a 2 bedroom Platnium Season. I have three questions.

1. When trading within the Marriott system for other Marriotts are all 2 bdr platnium units considered equal? Would mine have equal power and tradability with any other Marriott.

2. Is this also the case when depositing with II? (I think not)

3. Do most of you trade within Marriott or deposit with II?

It seems to me in reading many of the other posts that many of you deposit with II and then trade back to a Marriott. Why would you do this?

Thanks in advance for any help.
 

Dave M

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1. No. Exchanging is all about supply and demand. Some resorts (e.g., Hawaii) are generally more in demand than others. Thus, if more people want to go to Hawaii on vacation than to other Marriott destinations, those Hawaii weeks will be great traders; the lesser in-demand resort weeks won't be so great.

Further, within a Platinum season at a single resort, weeks will have different demand. For example, a late August beach week on Hilton Head, when many kids are back in school, won't come close in exchange power to a July 4 week there.

2. Yes.

Note that all Marriott exchanges are handled through II. There is a special Marriott-to-Marriott exchange methodology (lower fee and priority trades), but it's still through II. That's especially necessary because you might want to include some non-Marriott's on your list of resorts to which you'll accept an exchange. That wouldn't be possible unless one entity (II) handled all of those exchanges.

3. See #2. It's the same. You must exchange through II to exchange for another Marriott.
 

CMF

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Florida Club Wrinkle?

Dave, I thought that Florida Club Marriotts trades are handled by Marriott and not II. This would be an exception to what you outlined, no?

Charles
 

Art

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I believe the Florida Club is more of a direct reservation than an exchange.

In other words, subject to MVCI seasons and all that, an owner at a Florida Club resort can reserve another Florida Club resort, but only within 6 months of the check-in date. Obviously, for prime weeks, there is a pretty low likelihood of finding any availability.

The chances of getting a prime week at a Florida Club resort other than your home resort are better, although still none too good, by exchanging thru II with the special Marriott request first privilege. That way, you would still know that you would have the use of a prime week either at your home resort or at another Florida Club resort.

Art
 

pwrshift

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The more I trade with II the more I think there is no such thing as 'trading power'. I think that is a selling term used by strong armed Marriott sales reps and backed up by II reps who don't want to lose Marriott business.

If there was trading power, how would I get an Easter week in a 2bdrm Newport Beach unit with a Manor Club lockoff? Or a 2 bdrm Desert Springs Villas 1 in prime season with a 1 bdrm Manor Club?

Get your request in early enough with II and the Marriott window works in your favour, even if other requests from bigger units come in later. And within the 59 day period there are no holds barred...if it's available, it's yours even with a bonus certificate.

Buy a lockoff suite - not a 2 bdrm. This gives you greater flexibility by splitting for $75 into 2 parts which you can deposit for 3 weeks for your one (incl. the bonus week for the 1 bdrm portion). Good deal. In addition, the kids you need to accomodate today will leave the nest tomorrow and a 2 bdrm suite will probably be wasted most of the time.

At every resort I can think of that has 2 bdrm suites and lockoff 2 bdrm suites, the lockoff kind cost more on the resale market, further indicating their greater value. It appears Marriott doesn't like them as much as they used to, during tougher sales times, as most of their new resort planning does not offer lockoffs. That means you need to consider resales for the best deals.

Brian
 

Roxi

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One point that I don't think was covered in answering your question # 3 is that by requesting a Marriott to Marriott trade (rather than depositing with II) you can do it as a request first without giving up your week. That way if the trade doesn't come through, you can still go to your resort. That is our primary reason for not depositing with II for trades. It does however limit you to locations that have Marriotts.
 

jperkins

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Thanks everyone for your answers. They we're very informative. As it turns out I didn't purchase the Marriott I was following. Maybe next time.
 

Brutie

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My understanding is that no matter what you have if you trade into somewhere like Newport Beach that ONLY has 2 bedroom villas, thats what you are gonna get. I mean, they have nothing else to offer you. Thats why for me, I wouldnt purchase there but use my other weeks to trade into Newport Beach...
 

gmarine

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Brutie said:
My understanding is that no matter what you have if you trade into somewhere like Newport Beach that ONLY has 2 bedroom villas, thats what you are gonna get. I mean, they have nothing else to offer you. Thats why for me, I wouldnt purchase there but use my other weeks to trade into Newport Beach...

This is true providing the week you deposit has enough trade power to get the unit at NCV.
 

toni3063

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Roxi said:
One point that I don't think was covered in answering your question # 3 is that by requesting a Marriott to Marriott trade (rather than depositing with II) you can do it as a request first without giving up your week. That way if the trade doesn't come through, you can still go to your resort. That is our primary reason for not depositing with II for trades. It does however limit you to locations that have Marriotts.

This is not actually true... you can include all resorts that II accepts, I just had a request first (this is done through II and by doing request first... you will NOT receive a bonus certificate) filled that included more non-Marriott resorts than Marriott resorts in my request. I received a Marriott for my trade (very happy about that), however, since I did have non-Marriott locations included in my request, the exchange cost me $135 instead of the $89 that it would have cost had I only included Marriott's in my request.
 

Dean

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toni3063 said:
This is not actually true... you can include all resorts that II accepts, I just had a request first (this is done through II and by doing request first... you will NOT receive a bonus certificate) filled that included more non-Marriott resorts than Marriott resorts in my request. I received a Marriott for my trade (very happy about that), however, since I did have non-Marriott locations included in my request, the exchange cost me $135 instead of the $89 that it would have cost had I only included Marriott's in my request.
There are actually two different request first options. With the one you mention, you can only search for weeks that occur at or before the week you're giving up. Roxie is talking about the Marriott to Marriott which does allow you to search for weeks up to two years after the week you give up and as you mention, has a lower exchange fee the same as any Marriott internal exchange assuming you don't list non Marriott's as well. With either type, if you don't match or if you cancel, you get your week back to use, rent, etc.
 

pwrshift

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Outside of the summer months when even owners have problems booking their weeks, Newport Beach is a snap to get with a lockoff. I've done it twice with lockoffs...once in May and another time in mid-Sept.

Brian
 

toni3063

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Dean said:
There are actually two different request first options. With the one you mention, you can only search for weeks that occur at or before the week you're giving up. Roxie is talking about the Marriott to Marriott which does allow you to search for weeks up to two years after the week you give up and as you mention, has a lower exchange fee the same as any Marriott internal exchange assuming you don't list non Marriott's as well. With either type, if you don't match or if you cancel, you get your week back to use, rent, etc.

That's good to know... I'm going to try that on a request that I was going to do as a deposit first but was waiting for II to offer AC's for my 2007 weeks.
 

Clemson Fan

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pwrshift said:
The more I trade with II the more I think there is no such thing as 'trading power'. I think that is a selling term used by strong armed Marriott sales reps and backed up by II reps who don't want to lose Marriott business.

If there was trading power, how would I get an Easter week in a 2bdrm Newport Beach unit with a Manor Club lockoff? Or a 2 bdrm Desert Springs Villas 1 in prime season with a 1 bdrm Manor Club?

Brian,

I sort of agree with you about the "trading power" mantra. I think "trading power" does exist, but it's just not as convoluted or complicated as people make it out to be.

As far as getting the 2 bedroom with the lockoff, was that during the 59 day flexchange period? If so, then "trading power" or room size for that matter mean nothing and II is just trying to clear this inventory before it goes unfilled. You can get just flat out awesome deals in flexchange.

That's one of the reasons I kind of hope that Marriott doesn't eventually create their own internal exchange program and somewhat pull out of II. I actually prefer to use my weeks, but when I can't I've learned how to use II really well and have been very happy with what II has been able to provide with AC's and exchanges.
 

Art

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I just traded a November BeachPlace studio for a 1 BR Westin Mission Hills for Jan '07. Could have had a 2 BR unit there, but it was a Feb week and I couldn't use it. Decided not to wait for a Four Season Aviara, which I have also seen 2 BR with the BP studio

In April, we will be going to the WorldMark Windsor in a 2 BR that I got as an exchange for an Ocean Point studio.

Not always in peak times, but a year or more in advance, I have seen availability of 2 BR units at Marriott and other resorts. Once I even saw a 3 BR October Franz Klammer Lodge week with the OP studio.

Remember, I have had to find these on line; they generally can't be done as an on-going request.

Art
 

jme

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Grande Ocean x 6
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Waterside by Spin x 2
Sheraton Bdw Pln x2
ChurchSt/Charleston x2
after a decade.....

After a decade of occupying owner weeks and also much trading, mostly within the Marriott system but not entirely, I have come to the conclusion that there are just too many variables to give a pat answer. The rules, or general tendencies, as we have all read here on TUG for so many years, do indeed seem to hold up over time, BUT when one throws in the late deposit, the borderline season, the one-BR lockoff, or the "whatever", all that really counts then is BEING IN THE RIGHT PLACE AT THE RIGHT TIME. And that's all! Nothing more than that! It may even be the rep you get on the line! Sometimes you'll get a gift; sometimes you'll try to get a "lesser" week and NOT be able to get it. It's supply and demand most of the time......but....Honestly the best description is like playing PICK-UP STICKS. If you can get that black stick on the bottom, it may just be luck or skill. Other times, it's sitting right there in the open on top! The best advice will always be: deposit early, and buy a darn week that is desirable for someone else who may actually want it! Otherwise you won't get a trade. Now, isn't that simple? jme ;)
 

kathleenpeyer

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jme
"The best advice will always be: deposit early, and buy a darn week that is desirable for someone else who may actually want it! Otherwise you won't get a trade. Now, isn't that simple? " jme

Yes, I agree. After having been through the mill, so to speak, with II and my Marriott exchanges, (for better or for worse), IMOP, it usually comes down to the luck of the draw - no more, no less. We were able to exchange an off-season (silver) 2 BR Grande Ocean for a late October week at Newport Coast, which I never expected. BTW, it was an absolutely glorious week, weather-wise and all, and after a bit of an issue with the front desk about the unit assigned to us (noisy parking lot view), we were switched into a more desirable ground level unit, which, while further away from the main building, suited us just fine.
Then again, we have often had our Marriott weeks (red Palm Desert) on dep for 8 months and longer for a request into other Marriotts in high/red season for ski resorts out west that never came through.

Question: I was under the impression that a cancelled exchange through II was a lost week. Is this not true for Marriott exchanges? I refer to Dean’s comment. “……if you don't match or if you cancel, you get your week back to use, rent, etc…...”
 

Dave M

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kathleenpeyer said:
“……if you don't match or if you cancel, you get your week back to use, rent, etc…...”
I think that Dean means if you don't match or if you cancel your exchange request, you get your week back to use.
 
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